Uneven Development: Listening to the 'South', Listening to Vancouver

This documentary video starts with a young woman’s narration of a legend through what looks like a shadow puppet show. The video goes on to ask, “How has the spirituality of young women changed?” It features women sharing their thoughts and experiences to do with spirituality and their encounters with traditional indigenous knowledge. The women talk, among other things, about the gap between traditional knowledge of spirituality and language, and their present day access to such knowledge. The video was created by a group of young women who participated in a workshop  through the non-profit organization I am concentrating on – Girls Action Foundation – Fondation filles d’action (based out of Montreal, Quebec) with the organization’s facilitation. According the Kickaction* (part of Girls Action) website, “This inspiring video was created by a group of young women at the Make Some Noise North training that took place in Whitehorse [Yukon] in July” (n.d.)

The production is a representation from the metaphorical ‘Global South’ – while it is located in the ‘Global North,’ it features the Yukon, an area in Canada which has not been as great a focus in the country, and where it is my impression that resources are not always as readily available. It also films people from ’groups’ which have historically been oppressed – young women and members of indigenous communities. I feel cautious to label the speakers as ‘subaltern’ though – although they may not have not been allowed enough of a voice, I do not want to portray them as victims. (While I do not think Sharp’s (2008) article, “Can the Subaltern Speak” attempts to portray the subaltern purely as victims, the term still carries the danger of the connotation.) Conversely, I like the fact that the video showcases the women’s strengths (for example through their video production skills) and the insights they have to offer on their upbringing and community.

The video also addresses the problem of ”epistemic violence” discussed in Sharp’s article, “Can the Subaltern Speak?” (Spivak, cited in Sharp, 2008, p. 111) Sharp writes, “the term ‘epistemic violence‘ … refers to violence done to the ways of knowing and understanding of non-western, indigenous peoples” (Spivak, cited in Sharp, 2008, p. 111). In the video, one of the young women talks about the fact that a lot of the spirituality has been lost for women in today’s society due to intergenerational abuses from the residential school era. According to my own understanding, the residential school system broke the link between indigenous people and various forms of traditional knowledge through a few means: By removing children from their families, imposing a different language (English) and religion (Christianity) on them, and perpetuating such cruelties – physical, sexual and emotional abuse - which created significant trauma in their communities, making it difficult for them to connect to their past. The cited woman may also have been referring to the abuses within their community which resulted from the cruelties perpetuated within the residential school era. Her reference to the point that knowledge has been lost is also illustrated by one of the other young women in the video, when she says that when an elder asks a student in their indigenous language to bring them kleenex, they come back with a pen and a bowl instead of kleenex. As she says, “We are losing it nowadays.”

Girls Action Foundation could be said to allow more than one ’cross-section’ within the subaltern to ‘speak.’  They encourage girls and young women, who even in the ‘West’ (in this case Canada) have historically been disenfranchised, to share their experiences and views. They also seek to empower the voices of girls and young women who have typically been marginalized, and have not seen themselves represented through role models: for example girls and women of colour, of minority groups, various sexual orientations and gender identities, socioeconomic backgrounds, less enfranchised geographic regions of Canada, and so on. However, watching this video brings to light the question of whether, symbolically, the privileged are ‘empowering’ the less powerful: Koopman’s (2008) article, “Imperialism Within” raises the point that women in positions of power (white middle class women) have often historically been in ‘helping’ roles (p. 1). Girls Action has a lot of diversity within their workplace, however I still wonder whether this dynamic takes form: is it the ‘privileged’ people (with education and status) showing others (who may or may not have less privilege) how to create video productions, and share their stories, thereby graciously ‘giving’ them opportunities to express their voice? Through volunteering, I have had the impression that Girls Action is pretty sensitive about issues like this one, and is constantly looking for ways to be more conscientious, however there are always more things to learn, and considerations one is not aware of. In contrast to these concerns, the sharing of the legend in the video seems to be a way for the women to work to reclaim some of their indigenous knowledge, and represent themselves in a way that communicates through the cultural knowledge of their community, rather than contemporary societal (‘Western’) discourse, as well as to preface the topic of spirituality. As a closing note, I like the fact that the young women, as well as the older woman featured, share so many of their insights on their experiences and community in the video.

*Girls Action has a ’sister’ website called Kickaction, which is a space for girls and young women to share their thoughts and experiences, connect with each other, and share creativity and activism (Kickaction, n.d.). There are a few videos produced by/with girls and young women who participated in Girls Action programs which you can find on the Kickaction website.
Websites: http://www.kickaction.ca / http://www.girlsactionfoundation.ca

You are welcome to keep posting, but please keep it related to the themes of this class.

You are especially encouraged to post brief summaries of your NGO analysis.  Go public with it!

Post your questions (and answers) in the comments. A few of us were also talking about organizing some kind of Zotero party, so if you’re interested maybe we can set it up here.

So a few months ago I discovered this plush Hasbro elephant named “Zambi”. I almost used the video “See what inspired project Zambi”  on the the site for my blog post… but couldn’t detach myself from it enough emotionally to be coherent about it (Click Zambi to follow a link to the page). The drawings on the ears were created by kids at a school in Zambia where I volunteered  for six months. Fifty percent of the money from the sales of this elephant will go charities chosen by Hasbro, HIV/AIDS orphans being one  group to benefit. I’d love to have any thoughts you’d like to share about this … just because I’m curious (though I know everyone is likely studying). I can’t figure out how to feel about it… it really upset me, but nobody else i’ve shown it to seems to have had the same response…

The message to the parents is interesting:

http://www.hasbro.com/en_CA/discover/The-Story-of-Project-Zambi.cfm

I can see that there are benefits. Importantly, the toy raises awareness of HIV/AIDS in a young privileged demographic, namely North American childern. There is a “focus on making a difference” and an entire page for parents about how Project Zambi can teach children about empathy, caring and the global community. In technocentric self-indulgent culture, getting children to start caring about others is important. Gettign a gift that also “does something for others,” might begin sending the message that “other people are important.”

However, I know the kids in the video…. and the way they are shown is never the way I would chose to depict them. Through my lens, the video and side shots really make them look like victims, which is rather contrary to my experience. I’m hesitant to give a description, at risk of generalizing or speaking for them, but many of the kids I met in Zambia  were as happy and energetic as any children in Canada. Those who’s parents had died of HIV/AIDS were some of the strongest, smartest and most compassionate at the school,  often looking after brothers and sisters. Also, while they do talk about interdependence (right at the bottom of the parent page), for me, the overwhelming message feels like “We (the lucky ones) should help them (the unlucky ones)”

The above picture is more the image I have of the kids at the school, but feel free to critique this as well… I am certain to have my own biases and welcome your extrapolations on any and all of the above… Thanks! All the best with studying!

In this video the subjects speak out about “Bridging the Digital Divide”, meaning closing the gap between nations that do not have access to the iBridging the Digital Dividenternet compared to the nations that do. The subjects identify the need to construct a system that incorporates a global cooperation toward accessing information. Cooperation ensures that people all over the world are promised the same access to information which is representational of power. Anas Tawitch identifies the internet as an empowering tool for people who do not have a voice and were marginalized because of a lack of opportunity. Access to the internet will provide the ability for an undeveloped nation to develop.

The Digital Divide can be seen as a product of Harvey’s uneven development. Under developed nations are less likely to have access to information and technologies that developed countries often take for granted. Access to greater amounts of information allows under developed nations to have access to greater sources of knowledge, educating under privileged individuals, and improving education and economic institutions. Due to the expensive technologies and infrastructure involved it is difficult for people in an undeveloped region to join the “information highway”. Many NGOs such as The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other non profit organizations have developed grants for under developed regions of the world to gain access to the internet and other information technologies. However with only 17.6% of the world’s population having access to these technologies it is a difficult endeavor to create enough funding to support the remaining populations. Bridging the Digital Divide between developed nations and under developed nations would bridge the gaps of global uneven development.

Video might not show up, here is the link:http://current.com/items/85666051_bridging-the-digital-divide.htm

This video is a new story titled “Demolition Dissidents.” Reported by Patrick Brown (CBC’s correspondent in Beijing), it tells the story of a group of neighbours who gather together to combat the demolitions that the Chinese government has ordered for their neighbourhood. The story places itself in the broader context of Beijing’s modernizing processes and development, especially in the lead up to the Olympic Games staged in 2008. The video emphasizes elderly individuals and their plight to save their home, or at least receive adequate and fair compensation. The story reaches a climax as a group confronts a government official, who subsequently walks out on them, more than once. The dissidents rue that their voice is not heard as capitalist development takes over.

Commentary

This video is not quite obviously a development-related story, nor are the individuals necessarily subaltern. I chose this video purposefully because I think it shows how both imminent and immanent development works together within countries, putting citizens off against each other. Strikingly, we see David Harvey’s uneven development of capitalism as this community is seen as spatially inferior. The imminent (little ‘d’) process of capitalist development has left the individuals profiled at a disadvantage and without power. The immanent project of the government coming to bulldozing seems merely seems like the next unfolding of the imminent process.

Further, I think it is a worthwhile question to ponder whether or not these people are subaltern. In one sense, their voices and concerns are not heard as their priorities are not priorities on the hegemonic grid (their well-being and livelihood). However, in another sense, they are being profiled by a news agency of the Global North. This discursive representation of them does or will produce a material outcome: their voices are being heard by us (although mediated by the reporter). I wonder if the fact that this a news agency affects the story? Further, are these people members of the Global South? What about the Chinese government? In some ways, I think this video represents the threshold between terms such as North and South and subaltern and hegemonic.

Regardless, I think having a more news-type video can be useful as this is such a common form of representation for issues that we have talked about in this class all term. How does this medium affect the outcome? In many ways, the camera and the reporter seem invisible, although it is important to be aware that we are seeing this story through their literal and figurative lens.

Summary:

This TV commercial for Tim Hortons opens with an idyllic shot of Central American mountains, followed by images of indigenous farmers planting and harvesting coffee. Dan Schroeder, the president and CEO of Tim Hortons, explains the motivation behind the company’s Coffee Partnership program: one which claims to provide “the perfect conditions for growing better coffee.” As buyers of Central and South American coffee, Schroeder claims that a desire to transform farmers into “successful businessmen” and give back to the communities which provide the coffee is at the heart of the project. According to Tim Hortons, “giving back” translates into helping farmers grow better coffee. “They [indigenous farmers] don’t want anything for free,” says Schroeder, and an unnamed farmer is subsequently shown expressing his wish to become a “businessman”. A voiceover lauds the Tim Hortons Coffee Partnership for having improved the lives of 2000 farmers: scenes of children in schools and textbooks (with the Tim Hortons logo emblazoned on the front covers) being unloaded are shown, and the commercial draws to a close with Schroeder stating “We don’t believe in just writing cheques and walking away.” The motto for the program is “Making a True Difference.”

Commentary:

At first glance, the Tim Hortons Coffee Partnership program appears to be a positive, empowering project for the subaltern indigenous coffee farmers Central and South America who are involved. A closer examination of the program, however, reveals otherwise.
Tim Hortons’ coffee is not fair trade. Instead, the company favours its approach of working directly with the growers: “establishing technical training, through direct financial assistance, to improve the quantity and quality of coffee produced”; “consulting farmers to ensure their coffee gets to market at the best time and at the best price”; “providing assistance in education and medical care”; and “strengthening environmental management by educating farmers on enhanced [presumably Western] farming techniques and reforestation projects.”
While some coffee farmers may genuinely benefit from these methods, in actuality the root purpose of the project appears to be securing the quality and availability of the raw materials that Tim Hortons’ business is based on. The successes of the program boasted on the website have more to do with the “better grades of coffee” produced and increased yields after the implementation of the program. In addition, the education provided to beneficiaries of the Partnership in Santa Maria, Colombia includes access to a “coffee quality lab”.
The case of the Tim Hortons Coffee Partnership illustrates a particular attempt of a corporate entity to engage in a kind of d/Development project. Seeing this commercial brought to mind a comment that one of our guest speakers, Dawn, mentioned in her lecture. Dawn said that she was suspicious of any corporation which claimed to have purely benevolent intentions, and I have to say I agree. By directly referencing the Coffee Partnership in its advertising, Tim Hortons is appealing to a growing public desire to be “responsible consumers” (perhaps arising out of Western over-consumerist guilt?). Showcasing what at least superficially looks like positive change come out of a daily coffee purchase is a shrewd advertising strategy, and reinforces the fact that the primary objective of any corporation is to make profit. And as Tim Hortons’ Coffee Partnership illustrates, any charitable outcome that results is a by-product of that aim.

(A more detailed 3-minute video from which the TV commercial was derived is available on the Tim Hortons website (http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/goodwill/coffee-partnership.html). The information about the program that I cited in this post is available on that page as well.)

November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and through videos, many people and organizations around the world are expressing their need to end the violence as well as the efforts they are undertaking to ensure that women have a safer world to live in.

UNIFEM, in the Say No to Violence channel on YouTube has already documented some of the actions being taken around the world to end gender violence. This video shows the Ngara Girls High School in Nairobi, Kenya, where young girls are being taught to say No to Violence, to stand up for their rights and also how to deal with rape, assault, harassment and other forms of gender violence:

Also in Kenya, the Kenyatta National Hospital has a Gender Violence Recovery Center, where women and their children can go and receive care in cases of violence against them.

Latin America and the Caribbean is a dangerous place for women. More than 50 per cent of the women in the region have been subject to aggression. In the Dominican Republic, for examples, 1 453 women were murdered between the years 2000 and 2008. In the context of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, UN-INSTRAW launches a new video about the security of Latin and Caribbean women.

The places mentioned in the video are less developed, women tend to have less power in the family. Leaving women unable to speak and end the violence. Educating the women will reduce the amount of women violence happening, but what needs to be done to stop it? There are such high rates of murder that punishments needs to be set up to reduce the illegal activities. Also, as long as gender and race are still seen differently there will always be violence. There needs to be a sense of equality of gender and race to reduce the amount of violence occurring.

The growing movement of Vertical Farming in large cities, this trend is slowly growing and becoming realized as a potential eliminator of dependency on fossil fuels for food transport into world urban centres. By being able to produce viable food growth networks in cities, we lesser the dependency on large use fields that are both environmentally destructive and unsustainable. Vertical farming is still being developed but it many cases has been put into practical usage. A major difficulty for vertical farming is that is has not yet received government/high economy/corporate sponsorship which would give it the capital that would allow a real project to take place.

The future of city growth depends heavily on its abilities to be sustainable, with world prices of food, energy (including gas/oil/electricity) and raw materials rising the elimination of long distance transport is important. For instance many large chain restaurants (especially fast food) get most of their meats from South American cattle ranches. They do this because the low labour costs of SA farmhands and cattle ranchers translates into much lower food prices. However after the cattle is slaughtered it is shipped thousands of miles by truck, boat and train, this draws upon a very large amount of fossil fuels to power the machinery needed for transport. Growing food in cities close to the people eliminates the need for this transport, although obviously cattle cannot be raised and slaughtered in the middle of a contemporary urban settlement, crops can be. Raising the crops in the city in large vertical farms, eliminates the need for vast tracts of farmlands that take up acres upon acres of prime ranching land. With the produce being grown in the city and the cattle closer to home, people would be able to offset the labour cost competitiveness with elimination of expensive transport fees and costs.

This is the wiki definition of it

The website for vertical farming

Ecoworld article on vertical farming

This is a video on what is called the Omega Garden, a very interesting and cool idea on urban food production. Basically his project has allowed him to grow a very high percentage of food per hectare of urban land. The procedures he uses rotates the plants so slowly that even though they are grown upside down for certain time periods, the time they are the bottom allows them to fight gravity. This cylindrical hydroponic way to growing food allows urban farmers to grow without the need for sunlight or soil, most of the water is recycled from previously used waste water furthering the recycling process and reducing the waste a city produces. Although this system is far from perfect, it does require large amounts of electricity and it is very expensive, this innovative step towards eliminating large scale farming to feed cities is very important.

Ted Marchildon has now moved into creating home kits for everyday, every person use.The website link is below.

http://www.omegagarden.com/

Finally comes education, educating people who are bound to an agricultural lifestyle is essential in continuing not only the globe’s food supply but also in reducing poverty and malnutrition.Educational centers all over the world train students to go out and volunteer with local native populations of many developing nations. The video below although poorly made and with a somewhat questionable background at least shows the very basics of education on agriculture with a native population in India, focusing on women the teachers show basic semi-arid growing techniques to maximize crop yield.

Participatory Filmmaking YouTube Video

The video above features PV Sateesh, a professional filmmaker and advocate for participatory filmmaking. He describes his journey towards his involvement in this form of participation, and work with the Deccan Development Agency. His acknowledgement of the wide audience base that film can provide in India lead him to become so involved in participatory filmmaking. He sees film as a means of expression, an incredibly valuable tool for rural marginalized groups. He describes the women he works with as being marginalized through different aspects of their identities: through their identity as women, as poor and as illiterate. Being able to communicate visually and audibly is a tremendous tool that represents the power of expression and active participation. Sateesh mentions the ways in the women create their own language and symbolism. Their “slave shot” from above demonstrates a demeaning power structure, and their “eye level shot,” represents equality amongst the women. The women soon branched out from making films exclusively for their own villages, and decided to investigate Bt cotton in the global South through film. Their travels to South Africa, Thailand and Mali allowed the women to share the stories of the farmers they met whose lives are intimately touched by Bt cotton, and investigate the controversy deeply. Sateesh asserts that these women have created a horizontal space of debate and sharing.

The organization that provides these women with the means to express themselves through film is the Deccan Development Agency, a grassroots organization. It operates within seventy-five villages and sanghams for women, or voluntary local associations. The five hundred female members are impoverished, mostly illiterate, and many are also socially stigmatized due to the high population of dalits, whose class is at the bottom of the social hierarchy. The agency provides both technologies so that the women can create and edit their own films, as well technical support by training women in the use of the equipment and media. As of 1998, the women have made over 100 films that range from expressing the local need for childcare to various issues of the environment and biodiversity. The social effect this plan has had on the women has been enormous, as informal leadership positions have been created for them. The women have the power to not only express their own point of view, but those of the community in a straightforward way. The success of the participatory filmmaking has resulted in expansion into other forms of media to open up a dialogue:

“Their compelling statements on why they should have a media of their own are forcing the academic and development world to rethink media policies. The women have also established a Community FM Radio Facility, controlled and operated by themselves. Born from the collective aspiration of the women to own an alternative medium of expression the content and the form of which they can control, the DDS FM Radio is five years old and has canned nearly five hundred hours of programmes.”

A common issue in the participatory expression of priorities in a community is that of how to reach the illiterate in an understandable and meaningful way. The facilitators of survey, who may be leaders of development agencies or NGOs, have a great amount of power in their framing of questions and translation of results. When compared to the ranking of images representing needs of communities, or using maps chosen and fully understood by the facilitators, the ability to tell one’s own story through any number of narrative or artistic strategies is quite amazing and innovative. The women own and produce their stories, their strategies for expression, and have the ability to expand the audience from village to region, to even the world through the Internet. Through this, the women gain a sense of capability, confidence and ultimately the tools to participate in the foreground as opposed to a passive or instructed participation in their global communities. However, we should ask ourselves if viewers from the West posses the tools to understand what a subaltern expresses, even through an unorthodox medium. Do we need more cultural context? Can we escape our own cultural lenses? Are we still translating?